I received in today's mail an offer from Mystic Stamp. They sent a random selection of 2014 USPS stamps, eight in total. They are asking $37.50 for the lot. Considering that their perforated counterparts sold for .49 cents this seems an excessively high mark-up.
Is there somewhere else one can purchase imperforate stamps? I don't seem to see many offerings for these imperforates on Stamporama.
Is this a seller generated niche that they are trying to market to the newbies of collecting such as myself?
BTW,these are being mailed back.
Thanks in advance.
Tom

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

Their prices are highly inflated. I am also quite displeased that the USPS allows them to buy up all of the press sheets before us collectors can buy them!

I only collect used imperfs because the mint collecting is such a racket. But - if you really like them, you might be able to find better prices if you shop around.

www.ebay.com/str/philatelia

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

The imperf versions also sold for 49 cents from the USPS. But you have to buy a complete press sheet. Some press sheets have a small issued quantity - 250 press sheets as an example. If Mystic decides to buy 200 of them, that leaves 50 for collectors and it is a sell out is a day or so. Then you see those high prices on ebay. The more common ones sell for 2 or 3 times face for singles and even less for multiples or panes.

The Mystic price wouldn't be so bad if the lot included the USS Arizona express mail copy. But I'm guessing it didn't.

Tad

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

Three versions? Must have missed something.

Tad

Also, Scott lists the new imperfs as singles, not pairs unless a se-tenant is involved.
The die cut perfs are fairly deep so if you cut them off you'll end up with a very obvious fake.

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

The perf sheet in the annual book, the imperf from the press sheet and ................?

Again, Tad

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

I guess the 60s were better for me than I thought/remembered. When I was counting the number of sheets, looks like my fingers skipped by one....Mommy, can I go home now?

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

Linn's October 19, 2015 issue - page 70. US Scott # 5012 Ingrid Bergman issue. Cat val for a mint single is $1.00. Cat val for #5012a imperf is $1.50. I'm assuming that is for a mint single also. Same applies to the Coast Guard and Elvis issues.

Now if the listings in the new 2016 specialized has changed the requirements, then I stand corrected. I have been relying on the Linn's monthly magazine to keep track of the new issues for US & Canada.

Tad

re: Collecting Imperforate Stamps

This from the 2016 Scott Specialized:

There is also a Feature Article titled "Imperforate stamps from uncut press sheets now listed in Scott catalogues"

Finally all is as it should be with one exception, and unfortunately that exception is the nexus of a bet I have with Mr. Numbers. I contend that the stamps from the Circus "Special" S/S should have a major catalog number since they are face and denomination different and were available both via online order (for the imperf press sheet) and perforated via the Yearbook. I would say the imperfs should get the major and the perfs a minor, but either way is OK. I still hold out hope that will happen some day.

As for collecting imperfs (which is a misnomer since they actually lack die cuts, not perforations) I have two suggestions based on my experience collecting them starting with the Baseball issue and ending when I decided to place an end date on my collection:

1. You can just buy every press sheet if you are able to sell or use all excess as postage, but I couldn't burn through that much postage. I partnered with two other collectors on StampORama that wanted to collect imperfs. I bought the press sheets and sold 2/3 of what I had to them for face value, and offered any additional panes or blocks in excess of my needs. I didn't charge a markup or even postage because I needed folks to pay me 100% face for what I didn't need and I could use surplus mint postage to get it to them. I did that primarily because I wanted particular position pieces and wanted to get them with jumbo margins.

If you want to go that route, it's really quite easy. Just post a notice in the Sell/Trade area to find like-minded collectors. I found it simpler to just have one person buying the press sheets and others willing to commit to buying their share of each press sheet. It worked well for me. I would order each press sheet as soon as pre-orders were accepted (so I didn't have to worry about Mystic buying them all up). The press sheets arrive in a tube so I rolled them out, upside down, to allow the curl to lay down over a day or two. (You will need a room that animals and kids can't get into).

Cutting the panes is the most challenging part, and it really helps to have a USPS cut pane (of the die-cut variety) to help figure out precisely where to separate the panes. I would sketch each press sheet on a piece of paper and determine where to make the cuts. Then I would set up for the first cut and lay a USPS die cut pane over what I was about to do to verify that I wasn't off base. To cut the panes I used an Exacto knife with a fresh blade every 3-5 press sheets (depending on number of cuts), a metal straight edge (place it, don't slide it into place), and a background of thick cardboard. (I used a cardboard shipping box for a refrigerator).

2. Buy your imperfs at a markup from a 3rd party. I started doing this when high-dollar issues were released as imperf press sheets and neither I nor my partners could unload that much postage. I found a collector that specializes in all imperfs and placed several orders with him for the oddball stuff and later for just about everything.

I am happy to pass along the email address of the guy I obtained imperfs from at a markup of 30% over face plus shipping. Send me a PM. But if you can work together you can get most of your needs met for very little over face. You just have to be sure SOMEBODY is placing an order as soon as pre-orders are accepted.

Lars


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